Habitat for Humanity seeks fees waiver for McHenry home

McHENRY – Habitat for Humanity will make its appeal to city leaders tonight for a waiver on all or a portion of the $14,379 in fees required to build a single-family home.

The McHenry City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers, 333 S. Green St. in McHenry. The council could vote on the organization’s request for a reimbursement of the city’s building permit and impact fees.

The organization, which already paid the fees and obtained the building permit, is scheduled to begin construction this month on a 1,304-square-foot, three-bedroom home at 1605 Hillside Lane. The house would be Habitat for Humanity’s 22nd home in McHenry County.

Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County recently acquired four lots in the Lincoln Hills subdivision, adjacent to the Liberty Trails and Eastwood Manor subdivisions.

The new home, in the Lincoln Hills subdivision, would be the only one in the city that Habitat for Humanity constructs this year, organization officials say.

The organization’s goal is to provide affordable homes for area families in the 30 percent to 50 percent median income range who are unable to qualify for conventional bank mortgages to own a house. The nonprofit organization relies heavily on donors and volunteers to construct homes.

Of Habitat’s total bill – $23,460 – the city’s fee portion amounts to $14,379, which would go toward plumbing inspections, capital improvements and water and sewer tap service.

The other taxing districts collecting home construction fees include School Districts 15 and 156, the library and the fire protection district.

Jerry Monica, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County, said he will request fee waivers from the other taxing bodies.

The City Council previously waived fees for Habitat for Humanity homes. In 1995, the council waived fees in excess of $7,500 for a home on Park Lane Avenue. In 2003, the council waived $7,296 in fees for a home on Clearview Drive.

“The city’s generosity greatly helped stretch our funding to cover a larger portion of construction costs,” Monica wrote in a letter to the city administration. “Therefore, we respectfully request that McHenry once again partner with Habitat McHenry and the county’s most economically vulnerable citizens by waiving all or a portion of the fees ...”

If you go

What: McHenry City Council

When: 7:30 p.m. tonight

Where: City administration complex, 333 S. Green St. in McHenry

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